VODA Uganda is born

HOW IT ALL BEGAN.

It all started when one evening, I had visited my mother in the village on the weekend. I decided to move around the village to say hello to the elders. Out of the 6 homes I visited, from 4 of them I recieved complaints from the Grannies of how their grand children had refused to go school for reasons ranging from lack of school requirements to "just dont need scholing any more".

The next weekend, I came with a few exercise books and pens and gave out to some children who were glad to go back to school. I did this for a few months but I realised, they also needed money to pay to school. I did what I could. But it went becoming harder and harder for me to continue with this, I mobilized some friends and just a few of them responded. We agreed to start something long lasting. We named our association: Volunteers for Development Association in Uganda (VODA Uganda). This attracted the attention of the local village people and they asked me to be their Director. Imagine, leaving my some what good job, to lead something with no funds? That was 2003. I agreed. We did sensitization, voluntary giving, counselling, etc.

A lot happened in between, until.....

Time came when we bought 1 piglet and gave them out as a gift to one needy family. We told the old lady, in one year's time, we will not have money to give, but use this animal to pay the child's fees.

After a year, the pig had produced 5 piglets. They sold off 2, gave 2 to 2 other needy families and retained 1 with the mother pig. They used the money to pay fees. Wow! It was working!! We started spreading the news of our achievement and a friend donated us 10 piglets to give out, and another 10! After about 3 months, a strong swine fever came and swept 90% of the animals. What a hell!!!!!

Guess what happened next???